Fruit-drier.



F. C. CROWE.

FRUIT DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.3I. 191s.

1,287,899, Patented Dec. 1T, 1918.

,Pf ,D/ *f v/ W l FREDERICK C. CROVVE, 0F YAKIMA, WASHINGTON.

FRUIT-BRIEF'.

Application filed January S1. 1918.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK C. Cnown, a citizen of the United States, residing at Yakima, in the county of Yakima and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Driers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an improved fruit drier, designed especially for domestic or household use, in connection with the usual coal ranges or oil stoves, and to be utilized on the top of such range or stove to obtain therefrom the required heat for drying the contained fruit.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a comparatively inexpensive, compactly arranged, device, in the nature of an oven, in which fruits may be dried or evaporated by utilizing the heat from the ordinary kitchen range, and the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts whereby the passage of heat is controlled and directed through the drier or drying chamber, and in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts for fastening the different walls ofthe oven or drier together, as will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention is illustrated according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the fruit drier of the present invention, partly broken away at the bottom t0 disclose a portion of the damper shutters.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the device, partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is a detail view in perspective, showing the manner of joining the vertical walls of the device, and also disclosing the manner of joining the top plate with the vertical walls.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, detail sectional view showing the interlocking edges of the front and end walls of the drying chamber.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a corner portion of one of the fruit supporting trays.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view showing a portion of the upper, Ventilating shutters.

As before stated the drier is adapted to be placed on the top of a kitchen range, or other domestic stove, either for coal or for Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1'?, 1918.

serial no. 214,664.

oil or gas, so that the heat radiated from the top of the range or stove may be introduced into and carried through the heating chamber of the drier, to dry out the moisture from contained fruits. The drier as a whole is designated by the numeral 1, and is preferably of sheet metal, having a pyraniidal shape and comprising the two end walls 2, 2, the rear wall 3`and the front frame 4.- for the two doors 4, 4:', hinged at 5 to4 the wall 2. The four corners of the casing or housing 1 are provided with interlocking joints, as seen inv Fig. 4 wherein the end wall 2 is illustrated as having a U-shaped hook extending its a similar hook 4 on the front frame of the housing or oven, to form a rigid and stable joint.

The drying chamber has an open bottom indicated at 6, which may be closed or partly closed by means of the shutters or leaves 7 pivoted at the bottom of the casing and extending from end to end thereof as indicated in Fig. 1. These shutters are pivoted as usual and may be adjusted by pushing or pulling on the adjusting rod 8, which projects through the rear wall 3 of the chamber for convenient access.

The upper end of the drying chamber is closed by a top plate 9, preferably flat and extending over the upper edges of the four walls of the chamber, and a secure joint between the top and walls of the chamber is furnished by the Spring or resilient lianges 10, four in number, projecting downward from the under side of the plate, and engaging the four edges 11 of the walls of the chamber which are also resilient, to receive and retain the flanges on the top plate when forced down upon the upper edges of the chamber walls.

On the top plate a Ventilating box 12 is provided to permit passage of air currents from the drying chamber, and the exit of such currents is controlled by the adjustable shutters 13 operated through the adjusting rod 14.

Through the instrumentality of the lower shutters 7 and the upper shutters 13 it will be evident that the passage of heated air currents may be controlled through the drying chamber, and the moisture laden currents will carry off the evaporated elements of the fruit contained in the drier.

To support the fruits in the drying chamber, the interior walls thereof are provided full height and engaging placed in the chamber With angle iron brackets or shelves l5, at the ends and rear, and upon these brackets the trays 16 are placed. Preferably the trays have a reticulated or open Work center 16 so that the air curents inay pass freely therethrough, and the fruit is placed upon the reticulated tray, before the latter is inserted in the drying chamber, in such inanner as to perniit free passaO'e of the heated ,air turrents from bottom to the top of the chamber.

ln order to distribute the air currents evenly over the entire area of the chamber as they pass upwardly therethrough, I employ defieoting plates i7, and 18 which are fixed to the interior surfaces of the end Walls of the chamber, in staggered fashion, in order to guide the currents in zigzag manner, as indicated in F ig. 2, to the top of the drying chamber. rThe circulation ot air through the chamber may be governed by adjusting the lower and upper shutters i and 13 thus adapting tl e device for diderent purposes and different kinds of fruits. r'he fruits are pla ed upon the trays, and the trays then resting upon the shelves or brackets, the fruit or fruits being Y separated so that the Warm air currents may pass upwardly through the drying chamber.

l/Vhat is claimed iszl. A fruit drier comprising a housing having end, front, and rear Walls and said Walls having U-shaped, co-acting ledges forming interlocking joints, fruit supporting devices within the housing, and upper and lower adjustable shutters for controlling t-he passage of heated air currents through the housing. y

2. A fruit drier having end, vfront and rear Walls with resilient upper edges, and a top plate having resilient dependent ianges engaging said edges, a series of adjustable Ventilating shutters supported in the top plate and series of adjustable ven tilating shutters in the open bottom of the drier, brackets Within the drier, reticulated trays supported on the brackets, and upwardly inclined, oppositely disposed, guide plates attached to the end Walls of the drier for guiding heat currents.

ln testimony whereof l affix Iny signature.

FREDERICK C. CROWE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissoner o Patents,

Washington, E.. Gf 

